He entered, vociferating oaths dreadful to hear; and caught me in the act of stowing his son away in the kitchen cupboard. Hareton was impressed with a wholesome terror of encountering either his wild beast’s fondness or his madman’s rage; for in one he ran a chance of being squeezed and kissed to death, and in the other of being flung into the fire, or dashed against the wall; and the poor thing remained perfectly quiet wherever I chose to put him.
“There, I’ve found it out at last!” cried Hindley, pulling me back by the skin of my neck, like a dog. “By heaven and hell, you’ve sworn between you to murder that child! I know how it is, now, that he is always out of my way. But, with the help of Satan, I shall make you swallow the carving-knife, Nelly! You needn’t laugh; for I’ve just crammed Kenneth, head-downmost, in the Black-horse marsh; and two is the same as one—and I want to kill some of you: I shall have no rest till I do!”
“But I don’t like the carving-knife, Mr. Hindley,” I answered; “it has been cutting red herrings. I’d rather be shot, if you please.”
“You’d rather be damned!” he said; “and so you shall. No law in England can hinder a man from keeping his house decent, and mine’s abominable! Open your mouth.”
He held the knife in his hand, and pushed its point between my teeth: but, for my part, I was never much afraid of his vagaries. I spat out, and affirmed it tasted detestably—I would not take it on any account.
“Oh!” said he, releasing me, “I see that hideous little villain is not Hareton: I beg your pardon, Nell. If it be, he deserves flaying alive for not running to welcome me, and for screaming as if I were a goblin. Unnatural cub, come hither! I’ll teach thee to impose on a good-hearted, deluded father. Now, don’t you think the lad would be handsomer cropped? It makes a dog fiercer, and I love something fierce—get me a scissors—something fierce and trim! Besides, it’s infernal affectation—devilish conceit it is, to cherish our ears—we’re asses enough without them. Hush, child, hush! Well then, it is my darling! wisht, dry thy eyes—there’s a joy; kiss me. What! it won’t? Kiss me, Hareton! Damn thee, kiss me! By God, as if I would rear such a monster! As sure as I’m living, I’ll break the brat’s neck.”
原文
杨苡译文
拙译
CHAPTER IX
He entered, vociferating oaths dreadful to hear; and caught me in the act of stowing his son away in the kitchen cupboard. Hareton was impressed with a wholesome terror of encountering either his wild beast’s fondness or his madman’s rage; for in one he ran a chance of being squeezed and kissed to death, and in the other of being flung into the fire, or dashed against the wall; and the poor thing remained perfectly quiet wherever I chose to put him.
“There, I’ve found it out at last!” cried Hindley, pulling me back by the skin of my neck, like a dog. “By heaven and hell, you’ve sworn between you to murder that child! I know how it is, now, that he is always out of my way. But, with the help of Satan, I shall make you swallow the carving-knife, Nelly! You needn’t laugh; for I’ve just crammed Kenneth, head-downmost, in the Black-horse marsh; and two is the same as one—and I want to kill some of you: I shall have no rest till I do!”
“But I don’t like the carving-knife, Mr. Hindley,” I answered; “it has been cutting red herrings. I’d rather be shot, if you please.”
“You’d rather be damned!” he said; “and so you shall. No law in England can hinder a man from keeping his house decent, and mine’s abominable! Open your mouth.”
他进来了，叫喊着不堪入耳的咒骂的话，刚好看见我正把他的儿子往厨房碗橱里藏。哈里顿对于碰上他那野兽般的喜爱或疯人般的狂怒，都有一种恐怖之感，这是因为在前一种情况下他有被挤死或吻死的机会，而在另一种情况下他又有被丢在火里或撞在墙上的机会。他的惊恐倒使我可以随意地把他放在任何地方，这可怜的东西总是不声不响。
“哪，我到底发现啦！”辛德雷大叫，抓着我脖子上的皮，像拖只狗似的往后拖。“天地良心，你们一定发了誓要谋害那个孩子！现在我知道他怎么总不在我的跟前了。可是，魔鬼帮助我，我要让你吞下这把切肉刀，耐莉！你不用笑，因为我刚刚把肯尼兹头朝下闷到黑马沼地里，两个一个都一样——我要杀掉你们几个，我不杀就不安心！”
“可我不喜欢切肉刀，辛德雷先生，”我回答，“这刀刚切过熏青鱼。要是你愿意的话，我情愿被枪杀。”
“你还是遭天杀吧，”他说，“而且你将来也非遭不可。在英格兰没有一条法律能禁止一个人把他的家弄得像样些，可我的家却乱七八糟！——张开你的嘴！”
他走进屋里，嘴里大声叫骂着，那些话实在不堪入耳；他看见我正往厨房碗柜里藏他的儿子。他喜爱起海瑞腾如同野兽一般，发起怒来又像个疯子，这孩子碰到这两种情况中的任何一种无不深感恐怖。对于前一种情况，他有可能会被抱得过紧而死，或者被亲得太狠而亡。而在另一种情况下，他又有可能会被粗暴地扔到火里，或被用力地摔到墙上。我随便把他放到任何一个地方，这可怜的小东西总是保持不声不响。
“啊，终于让我找到啦！”亨得利大吼道，掐着我脖颈上的皮肤，像拖一条狗一样把我向后拖。“天堂在上，地狱在下，你们之间一定在诅咒，要杀了这孩子！现在我明白为啥我总见不到他。可是，魔鬼助我，耐莉，我要让你吞下这把切肉刀！你用不着笑，因为我刚刚把凯尼思头朝下按到黑马沼泽地了，杀一个是杀，杀两个也是杀，没啥区别——我要杀掉你们几个，一天不杀了你们，我一天就不得安生！”
“可我不喜欢切肉刀，亨得利先生，”我答道，“这刀刚切过红鲱鱼。要是你高兴，我情愿你用枪打死我。”
“你最好还是遭天谴吧，”他说，“而且你一定会的。在英格兰，有哪条法律禁止一个人把他的家弄得体面些？可我的家现在却乱七八糟！——把嘴张开！”
He held the knife in his hand, and pushed its point between my teeth: but, for my part, I was never much afraid of his vagaries. I spat out, and affirmed it tasted detestably—I would not take it on any account.
“Oh!” said he, releasing me, “I see that hideous little villain is not Hareton: I beg your pardon, Nell. If it be, he deserves flaying alive for not running to welcome me, and for screaming as if I were a goblin. Unnatural cub, come hither! I’ll teach thee to impose on a good-hearted, deluded father. Now, don’t you think the lad would be handsomer cropped? It makes a dog fiercer, and I love something fierce—get me a scissors—something fierce and trim! Besides, it’s infernal affectation—devilish conceit it is, to cherish our ears—we’re asses enough without them. Hush, child, hush! Well then, it is my darling! wisht, dry thy eyes—there’s a joy; kiss me. What! it won’t? Kiss me, Hareton! Damn thee, kiss me! By God, as if I would rear such a monster! As sure as I’m living, I’ll break the brat’s neck.”
他握住刀子，把刀尖向我的牙缝里戳。而我可从来不太怕他的奇想。我唾一下，肯定说味道很讨厌——我无论如何不要吞下去。
“啊！”他放开了我，说道，“我看出那个可恶的小流氓不是哈里顿——我请你原谅，耐儿——要是他的话，他就应该活剥皮，因为他不跑来欢迎我，而且还尖声大叫，倒好像我是个妖怪。不孝的崽子，过来！你欺骗一个好心肠的、上当的父亲，我要教训教训你。现在，你不觉得这孩子头发剪短点还可以漂亮些吗？狗的毛剪短可以显得凶些，我爱凶的东西——给我一把剪刀——凶而整洁的东西！而且，那是地狱里才有的风气——珍爱我们的耳朵是魔鬼式的狂妄，——我们没有耳朵，也够像驴子的啦。嘘，孩子，嘘！好啦，我的乖宝贝！别哭啦，揩干你的眼睛——这才是个宝贝啦。亲亲我。什么！他不肯？亲亲我，哈里顿！该死的，亲亲我！上帝呀，好像我愿意养这么个怪物似的！我非把这臭孩子的脖子摔断不可。”
他手握刀子，把刀尖顶到我的牙缝之间。而对于他的这些奇怪举动，我从未感到过于害怕。我啐了一口，肯定地说刀尖的味道实在令人恶心——我绝不会把它吞下去。
“啊！”他把我松开，说道，“我看出那可恶的小流氓不是海瑞腾——我请你原谅，耐莉——要是他的话，他就应该被活剥了皮，因为他不跑来欢迎我，而且还尖声吼叫，好像我是个妖怪。真是个变态的小畜生，过来！竟敢欺负到我这个心地善良、被人蒙骗的父亲头上，我要好好教训教训你。你觉得这孩子头发剪短点，不是会更好看吗？狗的毛剪短了会显得更凶恶些，我爱凶恶的东西——给我拿把剪刀来——剪出一个凶恶而整洁的东西！而且，那是炼狱般的喜爱——珍爱我们的耳朵是魔鬼式的自负，——我们要是没有耳朵，就成驴子啦。嘘，孩子，嘘！好啦，宝贝！别哭啦，擦干眼泪——这才是个乖娃娃嘛。亲我一下。什么！你不肯？亲我一下，海瑞腾！该死的，亲我一下！上帝呀，好像我愿意养这么个怪物似的！有生之年我非把这臭小子脖子拧断不可。”
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